Grammar: The Present Continuous Tense – English – 2nd Year Middle School – Algeria

The Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense describes actions happening now or around now. It is formed with the verb “to be” + verb-ing.

Formation

• Affirmative: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing. Ex: “I am reading a book.” / “She is watching TV.” / “We are playing.”
• Negative: Subject + am/is/are not + verb-ing. Ex: “He is not sleeping.” / “They are not working.”
• Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing? Ex: “Are you listening?” / “Is she coming?”

Uses

• Actions happening now: “Look! It is raining.”
• Temporary situations: “I am staying with my uncle this week.”
• Future arrangements: “We are visiting the museum tomorrow.”

Spelling rules for -ing

• Remove -e: make -> making, write -> writing
• Double the consonant: run -> running, swim -> swimming, get -> getting
• Verbs ending in -ie: die -> dying, lie -> lying

Exercises

1. Complete: “She ___ (read) a magazine – They ___ (play) football”.
2. Make negative: “He is sleeping – We are eating lunch”.
3. Make questions: “You are studying – She is dancing”.
4. Choose: Present Simple or Continuous? “I ____ (live) in Algiers – I ____ (stay) with my cousin this week”.

See also Grammar: The Simple Present Tense and Grammar: Present Continuous for Future.

📍 دروس مشابهة:

• English — Word Formation: Prefixes and Suffixes — 2nd Year Secondary
• English — Synonyms and Antonyms: Vocabulary Building with Exercises — 2nd Year Middle School — Algerian Curriculum
• English — Grammar: Prepositions of Time (In, On, At) — 2nd Year Middle School — Algerian Curriculum